To think that dental care is now only for the wealthy in the UK

[Tygertiger]

I would love to be considered U here and if I am, please explain it to me.

I have been in the privileged position until now of having an NHS dentist. Obviously I still pay a fee for every visit (not entitled to free healthcare) but it’s still cheaper than private dental fees. We’ve now been told that our practice is going private as of next year and will offer monthly payment plans, the cheapest of which is £19 a month. I’ve been on the NHS site and there are no other NHS dentists in the local area, at all.

So how do poor people afford to go to the dentist? If they can’t afford a monthly insurance plan?

@Amboseli dying to know where you are emigrating to? We have comnection to singapore and could get jobs there with some effort, but gbp vs sgd has declined over a third within tbe past few short years, that and decades of suppressed uk wages , means that we cant afford buying a house in singapore.

I’m with NHS Dentist , they were open all through lock down ,they are taking on as people go private they open their books ,they give priority to children ,also do emergency extractions for people that need it. I think it all depends on the area you live in ,they own 4 different practices that are half NHS half private have just bought another building to expand ,they also do in house orthodontist and own lab work etc .

Unfortunately NHS dentistry is based off a contract from 2006 which hasn’t changed since. Something to do with the prices the NHS pays practices not covering the cost of the treatment which means dental practices would be losing money providing NHS treatment

I’m feeling incredibly grateful after reading this thread for our NHS dentist. I have really crappy teeth despite working hard to look after them for all my adult life.
I was never taken to the dentist as a child and just brushed twice a day. Luckily no major fall outs from that but both my parents have brittle (? Don’t know if that’s a real thing!) teeth and one of mine cracked a few years ago. All fixed now.
I’ve had various treatments with my dentist and we all go as a family twice a year for a checkup, I usually need to go back inbetween these checkups for further treatment.
They closed during Covid and I called after a year because we had missed our appointment and they told me off! Said I should have called sooner - I did apologise but when i had called before there was an answering machine telling me that if appointments had been missed due to Covid then to await a phone call inviting us for a new one!!! I didn’t get one so eventually phoned and got a ticking off however it was all fine and we got back on track with them. Quite a few NHS dentists round our way but I hear from friends with young dc that none are accepting new patients now.

I did have an NHS dentist but they wrote to everyone asking their opinion on them moving to a more suitable location which was accessible. Of course everyone said yes, do it, then they became completely private. 😡

We moved house, and area, so I needed to register somewhere else, but can’t get a NHS dentist for love nor money. I registered with a private one, I need both my front crowns replacing and I’m having a couple of fillings changed to white ones. That’s £2500. Fortunately we can afford it. **

I didn’t realise you had to pay for eye tests in England, that’s ridiculous. I’ve got a complex prescription and need varifocals. A new pair with lens thinning is only £80. That’s a fraction of what a pair cost me 10-15 years ago. Plus, no charge for an eye test.

@Brieandjam I'd rather not say, sorry. But it's not as developed as Singapore. It's a fast growing economy and lots of potential especially coming from the UK.

Singapore is very expensive even with a good exchange rate. But great place to live and education far superior to the UK.

I'm just so disillusioned with the UK. I don't recognise it anymore.

Ah, but any emergency treatment or illness of the eye is free.

I learnt that last summer.

Started getting a floater randomly, it wouldn't go away. Booked an appointment with my optician, the examination (including standard prescription check) the drops and the follow up were all free.

I was really surprised.

So just sharing incase anyone has a weird eye thing, that isn't glasses related, that they need.

I blame everyone who ever voted Tory.

Same in Ireland. Totally unaffordable. They say if you want to know how wealthy someone is look at their teeth. We haven’t been able to afford to get more than a check up done in years and I’ve had teeth out because root canals just aren’t a possibility

Really keen to know how Labour (who else?) would turn this around? Won’t be able to incentivise dentists to return to NHS, they won’t be able to increase fees back for free or low cost check ups and the next gen of dentists will be private minded in their approach to career, so who the heck will want to scrap their earning potential in favour of fulfilling NHS appointments.

Falsehood.

I'm on PIP and I have to pay for non-NHS dental and for prescriptions.

Many areas without NHS openings run a waiting list. It can take several years but get on it.

Direct access hygienists, whilst cleaning your teeth for £50 on average, are able to screen for and treat most periodontal disease at hundreds rather than thousands.They also screen for oral cancer and can usually advise if someone needs referral for fillings or antibiotics.

Teaching hospitals may offer free dental treatment to certain categories of patients.

Emergency dental work is free provision, but it has to be pretty bad.

Not helpful when you potentially have an oral cancer and no one to look at it.

Not helpful when you potentially have an oral cancer and no one to look at it

The hygienist refers the patient to the hospital, in that situation

What hygienist? No NHS dentist, so no hygienist.

Private, direct access hygienists, as I said.

Dental charges were introduced by the Labour Party in 1951 !!!!.

And how is someone on UC meant to afford that?

YANBU i saw a dentist for the first time last week in about 8 years. We moved area and couldn’t get one. I am 100% grateful that I managed to get one, and that I’ve seen them now, but they just checked the teeth. I need four fillings and I’ve got to wait now for a second appointment. At least a months wait. I did tell them when I was registering that I likely needed four fillings. I’ve had two children in that time and I couldn’t access a dentist at all! One of my cavities is driving me nuts!

But I am grateful. Very grateful because there is only one dentist in my town that’s accepting new NHS patients. Never managed to get there quick enough when others had vacancies before. I couldn’t afford to have four fillings done privately. No chance.

And how is someone on UC meant to afford that

I didn't say they were, it's shit.

I also said that direct access hygienists can treat periodontal disease for hundreds, rather than thousands (charged by periodontists), and someone on UC may not be able to afford that either, but other people might.

And how do you even access them?
I have periodontal issues... got put on my notes and nothing else was done.. I can't access a dentist or hygienist... I guess the gum disease will just have to seep into my blood supply, and untimely cause me a ton of issues. What can I do?

What can I do

Google direct access hygienists in your area and book in. They'll offer an initial consultation with a clean, then arrange a treatment plan with anaesthesia for root surface debridement. They may ask you to visit a private dentist for an x-ray before treatment (£20 ish)

They covered your root canal for £19 a month? May I ask what plan you have? I do have an NHS dentist but he's retiring, and I'm moving so have to sort it anyway. Thanks.

I agree it's appalling, this is England now.

its so simple isn’t it? We just need to train more dentists, doctors, nurses etc and pay them a fair wage.

fucking tories… and actually fuck Labour too.